Technical Field
The disclosed technology relates to electronic systems, and, more particularly, to taking action responsive to and/or in anticipation of an electrical overstress event.
Description of the Related Technology
Certain electronic systems can be exposed to electrical overstress events. Such events can cause damage, such as thermal damage, as a result of an electronic device experiencing a current and/or a voltage that is beyond the specified limits of the electronic device. For example, an electronic device can experience a transient signal event, or an electrical signal of short duration having rapidly changing voltage and high power. Transient signal events can include, for example, electrostatic discharge (ESD) events arising from the abrupt release of charge from an object or person to an electronic system, or a voltage/current spike from the electronic device's power source.
Electrical overstress events, such as transient signal events, can damage integrated circuits (ICs) due to overvoltage conditions and high levels of power dissipation in relatively small areas of the ICs, for example. High power dissipation can increase IC temperature, and can lead to numerous problems, such as gate oxide punch-through, junction damage, metal damage, surface charge accumulation, the like, or any combination thereof.